Station-indicator.



No. 68!,540. 1 Patented Aug. 27, l90l. P. P. FYFE.

STATION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Feb. 28, 1901. (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shoat IN VE N TOR Pauli/.2?

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STATION INDICATOR. (Apflication am am. as, 1901.

Patented Aug. 27, IQIII.

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No. 681,540. Patented Aug. 27, I91".

P. P. l. FYFE.

STATION INDICATOR.

(Application filed Feb. 23, 1901.)

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PaaZZl l yfe ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL PHILIA ICAVILLE FYFE, OF CONCORD, NORTH CAROLINA.

STATION-INDICATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming art of Letters Patent No. 681,540, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed February 23; 1901. Serial No. 48 460. (No 5 1.)

Toall whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, PAUL PHILIA IOAVILLE FYFE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Concord, in the county of Gabarrus and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and Improved Station-Indicator, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to that class of sta tion-indicators for cars or other vehicles op erated by a trip-shoe carried by the car or vehicle, which shoe is to be brought in contact with pins or other projections adjacent to the rail of the track.

The purpose of the invention is to provide an improvement upon a similar device filed concurrently herewith, and especially to so modify the construction of the station-indicator thatinstead of the signs or display-cards being shifted vertically to bring them to a display position the cards or signs will be moved or slid laterally from the storage position to the display position and return.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forminga part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a vertical transverse section through a car and the improved station-indicator applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a portion of the station-indicator. Fig. 3 is'a section taken practically on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is an enlarged end view of a portion of the station-indicator. Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is an inner face View of one of the operatingarms of the indicator mechanism.

A represents a car inthe upper portion or clearstory of which the indicator is located. At or near the point Where the clearstory of the car connects with the body horizontal side platforms l0 and 11 are secured in any suitable or approved manner, and on one of the side platformsthe platform 10,'for examplea plate 12 is mounted to slide. The said plate is usually provided with a central tongue 13, which extends to the opposing platform 11, as shown in Fig. 1. The sliding plate or slide 12 is provided near its inner longitudinal edge with an upwardly-extending longitudinal rib 14, and guide-teeth 15 g are erected on the said slide 12 at a point in advance of the rib 14, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; Theslide 12 is usually controlled in its movement by producing slots 17 therein and passing bolts 16 through the slots and into the platform 10, as shown in Fig. 3. A plate 18 is horizontally located above the guide-teeth 15, and this plate 18 connects the arched side bars 19 of a frame B, a portion of which frame is shown in Fig. 1. The side pieces or sections 19 of this frame B are provided at what may be termed their front faces with strengthening-ribs 20, preferably of angular construction,and bars or shafts 21 and 22 extend from one of these ribs to the other. A series of rods 23 extend one behind the other in the same horizontal plane from one side of the car, beneath the platforms 10 and 11, as shown in Fig. 1, and on each rod 23 a sign or card 24is adapted to slide, each sign or card being preferably provided with aper-' tured ears "25 at its upper end portions, through which ears the rods are loosely passed. Each card or sign 24 is provided at its upper central portion with a pin 26, stud,

or its equivalent, and a shifting arm 27 is also provided for each card or sign 24. At

the lower end of each shifting arm 27 a longitudinal slot 28 is made, through which the pin 26 of a card is passed, and these shifting arms 27 are fulcrumed at'their upper ends on the shaft or rod 21, being separated by suitable collars, if desired. A link 29 is pivotally attached to each shifting arm 27 near its upper end. These links 29 extend in direction of what may be termed the front of the car, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, and each link 29 at its outer end is pivotally attached to the upper end of a lever 30, and these 1evers 30 are centrally fulcrumed upon the rod or shaft 22, being separated by suitable washers 22*, as shown in Fig. 3. An actuatingarm 0 is pivotally attached to the lower end of each lever 30, and these arms at their outer or free ends have guided movement in the spaces between the teeth 15 on the slide'12. One of these actuating-arms O is shown in detail in Fig. 6 and consists of a body-bar 32, having a recess in its under or bottom edge, forming a shoulder 33. Opposite this shoulder a head 34 is located, attached to a bar 35, which is pivoted to what may be termed the inner face of the body 32, the head 34 being held to project beyond the lower recessed portion of the body by Contact with a spring 36, carried by the body. The space between the shoulder 33 and head 34 is adapted to loosely receive the rib 14 on the slide 12; Each actuating-arm O is connected by a spring 31 with the upper portion of the lever 30, to which it is secured. When the slide 12 is moved outward, the rib 14 engages with the head 34 on one of the actuatingarms 0, which has been depressed by mechanism to be hereinafter described, and said arm is carried forward and the lever connected with the arm is brought to the inclined posit-ion shown in Fig. 5 at the front, and the shifting arm 27, connected with this lever 30, will be made to move at its lower end in direction of the center of the car and will carry the card or sign 24 connected with it to a display position at the central portion of the car, as shown at the right in Fig. 1. At the forward movement of the slide 12 the actuating-arm acted upon will be carried inward and restored to its normal position, as shown by the heavy shaded-parts in Fig. 5, and the shifting arm 27 will be carried toward the front side portion of the car, and the card or sign will be restored to its storage position. (Shown at the left in Fig. 1.) These actuating-arms O are alternately operated upon by the slide 12, and as soon as an actuating-arm has been carried inward sufficiently to restore the lever 30 connected therewith to a horizontal position the spring 31, connected with such arm,will act to draw the arm upward, and a shoulder 37, formed by a recess in the upper edge of the outer end of each actuating-arm, will be brought immediately to the rear of the connecting-plate 18, so that when an actuating-arm is in its normal position it will not have end movement.

, A shaft 38 extends over all of the actuatingarms 0, the shaft being j ournaled in the side sections or members 19 of the frame B. This shaft carries within the frame near each side section a sprocket-wheel 39, and over each of these sprocket-wheels 39 a chain belt 40 is passed, following the lines of the side pieces of the frame B, and the belts between their under portions pass over idle sprocket-wheels 41, located at the inner faces of the side sections of the frame near theirouter and inner edges. Preferably theseidlesprocket-wheels 41 are in staggered arrangement, as shown in Fig. 1; but the opposite end of each dhain belt 40 passes over a single sprocket-wheel 42. The chain-belts 40 are connected by suitable bars 43, placed at suitable distances apart, and these bars carry pins 44, which are in different planes, the pins being so arranged that one pin will be provided for engagement with the upper edge of each of the bearings at a side of the car.

actuating-arms O. The belts40 are so ire volved that the next actuating-arm which is to bebrought into action or is to be operated on by the slide 12 is pressed downward, as shown in Fig. 5, by engagement with one of the pins 44, so that the rib 14 on the slide 12 will enter the space between the shoulder 33 and head 34 of said arm. At one end of the shaft 38 two ratchet-wheels 45 and 46 are socured, having their teeth oppositely inclined, as shown in Fig. 4. A bracket 47 is secured to the slide 12, as is also shown in Fig. 4, and at the upper portion of this bracket a tubular support 48 is located, having a vertical slot 49 therein. This tubular support loosely receives a spindle or stem 50, having a lug 51 projected from one of its sides. Adjacent to the stem or spindle twin dogs 52 and 53, connected by a common hub, are pivoted upon a suitable post 54, attached to the bracket 47,

and a slotted or apertured arm 55 is extended from the said hub, and the stem or spindle 50 is passed through the slot or aperture in said arm. Collars 56 are located on the stem or spindle 50 above and below the arm 55, and

springs 57 are coiled around tho stem or spin- 4 dle, which springs have bearing against the collars 56 and projections from the stem or spindle, so that by adjusting the stem or spindle 50 either one or the other of the dogs may be brought in position to act upon a ratchetwheel, one dog being adapted to act upon a certain ratchet-wheel when the car is moving .in one direction, and when the car moves in the opposite direction the otherdog is brought in the proper position to act upon the other ratchet-wheel. Both dogs are never in operation at one time. The chain belts are therefore given motion from the slide 12 through the medium of the said dogs and ratchetwheels. ratchet-wheels, the connecting-hub of which pawls is mounted bya suitable pivot 59 on a side section of the frame B, as shown in Fig. 4, and the hub of the pawls is provided with a slotted or apertured arm 60, corresponding to the arm 55, connected with the dogs. A slotted bearing 61 is secured to the frame B, through which bearing a stem or spindle 62 is passed, and through the slotted extension 60 from the hub of the pawls or detents. Collars 63 are secured on the spindle or stem 62 at opposite sides of the extension 60 from the hub of the pawls or detents, and springs 64 have bearing against these collars and against extensions from the said spindle. The pawls or detents 58 are adjusted to the same ratchet-wheels as are the corresponding opposing dogs. The slide 12 may be operated in any approved manner. As shown in the drawings, the slide is provided with an outwardextension 65, in which a straight slot 66 is produced. A pin 67 extends up through this slot, and this pin is eccentrically located upon a disk 68, attached to the up per end of a shaft 69, journaled in suitable This shaft 69 Twin pawls 58 are provided for theis in gear connection with a shaft 70, adapted to receive motion at intervals from an axle of the car or from other source of power.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a device for indicating stations, a frame, a support therefor, a series of signs or cards mounted to slide horizontally, a sliding member, pivoted shifting arms having connection one with each sign or card, a series of communicating levers, each lever having connection with one of the shifting arms, and actuating-arms connected with the communicating levers, and each capable of operative contact with the said slide.

2. In a device for indicating stations, a frame, a slide located within the frame, rods below the slide, cards or signs mounted to slide on the rods, shifting arms pivotally connected with the signs or cards, levers arranged to communicate a swinging motion to the shifting arms, actuating-arms connected with the communicating levers and having means for engagement with the slide,and a depressing mechanism for the actuating-arms.

3. In a device for indicating stations, the combination, with a frame, a slide having movement in the frame, the said slide being provided with a longitudinal rib, shifting arms pivoted upon a support carried by the frame, rods located below the said slide, signs or cards having end movement on the said rods, and pins carried by the said cards, which pins enter slots in the lower ends of the shifting arms, of a series of levers mounted upon a support carried by the frame, link connections between the upper ends of the said levers and the upper or pivotal portions of the shifting arms, actuating-arms pivotally attached to the lower ends of the said levers, the said actuating-arms having op posing shoulders adapted to receive between them the rib on the slide, and a rotary mechanism having depressing-points adapted for consecutive engagement with the actuatingarms to depress them and bring their shoulders in position for engagement by the rib of the slide when the said slide is moved, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a device for indicating stations, the combination, with a frame, a slide mounted in the said frame, means for actuating the slide, a longitudinal rib produced upon the said slide, guideteeth likewise located on the slide at a point in front of the rib, rods located below the slide, signs or cards having end movement on the said rods, and shifting arms pivotallysupported at their upper ends by the frame and having slots at their lower ends which receive pins carried by the signs or cards, of a series of levers mounted on a support carried by the frame about centrally between their ends, links connecting the upper ends of the levers with the said shifting arms near the pivot-points of the said arms, tension-controlled actuating-arms pivotally attached to the lower portion of the said levers, the said actuating-arms being provided with opposing shoulders adapted to receive between them the rib on the slide, the outer ends of which actuating-arms enter the spaces between the said guide-teeth, endless chains mounted to revolve on the side portions of the frame, rods connecting the said chains, pins arranged in different planes on the said rods, said pins being adapted for consecutive engagement with the actuating-rods to press the same for the purpose described, and means substantially as described for imparting motion to the endless chains for the purpose set forth.

5. In a device for indicating stations, the combination with a frame comprising side bars and connecting rods, a slide having movement in said frame, which slide is provided with a rib upon its upper face and guideteeth in front of the said rib, rod-supports located below the said slides, signs or cards having endwise movement on said rods, one independent of the other, shifting arms having sliding and pivotal connection one with each of said signs or cards, and pivotal connection with a connecting-bar of the frame, levers fulcrumed on a connecting-bar of the frame at or near their centers, and links connecting the upper ends of said levers with the shifting arms near a point where they are pivotally connected with the frame, of actuating arms pivotally attached to the lower ends of said levers, each actuating-arm being provided with opposing shoulders in its under face, which shoulders are adapted to receive between them the rib on the said slide, the outer ends of said actuating-arms extending between the guide-teeth and having recesses in their upper outer edges, a stop bar or plate connecting the frame, adapt ed in one position of the actuating-arms to enter the upper forward recesses therein,springs exerting upward tension attached to the actuating-arms and to said levers above their fulcrums, sprocket-wheels located upon'the inner faces of the sides of said frame, endless chains carried by the sprocket wheels of each side section of the frame,- bars connecting said chains, fingers attached to said bars, arranged in different planes, which fingers are adapted for consecutive engagement with the actuating-arms and depress said arms, bring ing the shoulders of the actuating-arm in position to be engaged by the rib of the said slide, a driving mechanism for said chains, and means substantially as described, for reversing the direction of travel of said chains, as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL PHILIA ICAVILLE FIFE.

WVitnesses:

JOHN F. LAUGHLIN, DocK M. SAFRIT,

IIO 

